The Tone City Nashville is a mini overdrive pedal built on a TS-style circuit, the family of drives descended from the Tube Screamer. Tone City describes it as keeping "the beloved warm character of classic TS-type circuits while slightly taming the midrange for a brighter, more" open tone, which is the pedal's main selling point for players who find a standard Tube Screamer too mid-focused1. It was announced on September 18, 2026 as one of three new Tone City mini pedals, alongside the London Bender Fuzz and Buzz Bee Boost/Buffer2.
Controls and what they do
The Nashville keeps the control layout simple and adds one knob you will not find on a stock TS-style circuit1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Wide-ranging, covering everything from sweet subtle breakup to smooth singing leads1 |
| Volume | Sets output level, covering the same range as the Gain control1 |
| Bass Cut | Dials back low-end content to suit different guitars and unlock clearer, more articulate tones1 |
The Bass Cut knob is the pedal's signature adjustment, and Tone City says "this key adjustment inspired its name, Nashville"1. In practice it addresses the usual complaint about TS-type drives, that the midrange hump and low-end buildup can blur chords on some guitars: trimming the bass tightens things up without changing the pedal's basic character.
Sound and where it sits
Because the Nashville is a TS-style circuit, it behaves like the drives in the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer family: a midrange-forward boost into a pushed amp, useful as a standalone low-gain drive or stacked in front of another distortion. Tone City's own description positions it as the warmer, more open alternative within that family, with the midrange slightly tamed1.
Writing when the pedal was announced, Julian Schmauch at gearnews.com noted that it "seems to aim in to to a similar, TS-esque direction as the Green Tube, albeit more compact and less expensive," referring to Tone City's own Green Tube2. Players who know that pedal can read the Nashville as its smaller, cheaper sibling.
A reader comment on the gearnews.com announcement asked, "Isn't the Tone City Nashville a version of the Nobels ODR-1, not of a Tube Screamer?" Tone City's own page calls it a TS-style overdrive, so the maker's description and that reader's suggestion differ. Tone City's specification is the one on the record12.
Circuit origins and the Nashville Overdrive name
"Nashville Overdrive" is a name with history beyond this pedal. Browne Amplification's ALKENE Nashville Overdrive is described by its maker as "Inspired by the classic 'Nashville' overdrives found on the pedalboards of session greats from Tim Pierce to Jerry McPhe"3, and Pedal of the Day's reviewer repeated the same lineage in its March 20, 2026 review4. Browne says that pedal "adds the right amount of low-mid 'beef' without ever getting muddy, while remaining incr" edibly touch-responsive, and lists it at from $189.003.
The Tone City Nashville shares the name and the general territory, a drive voiced for clarity, but it is a different product at a very different price: $51.00 USD against the ALKENE's $189.0023. Another pedal carrying the Nashville name is the GUP Tech Nashville Nood Tube Honker, whose Spectrum knob, according to GUP Tech, "play on treble and bass at the same time"5. None of these is the same circuit; the name points to a shared idea of a session-friendly drive rather than a single design.
Power, size and board fit
The Nashville is a genuine mini pedal: 9.4 cm long, 4.5 cm wide and 4.8 cm tall, weighing 260 g, so it fits where a full-size drive will not1. Power is a DC 9V adapter at 5 mA, light enough for any pedalboard supply1. Tone City's page lists true bypass, with a 1M ohm input impedance and a 10K ohm output impedance1.
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Questions
Is the Tone City Nashville true bypass?
Yes. Tone City's product page lists the Nashville as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the circuit loading it. The pedal draws 5 mA and runs on a DC 9V adapter, with a 1M ohm input impedance and a 10K ohm output impedance.
What does the Bass Cut knob do on the Tone City Nashville?
The Bass Cut knob dials back low-end content to suit different guitars. Tone City says it helps unlock clearer, more articulate tones, and the company credits this adjustment as the inspiration for the pedal's Nashville name. It is the control that sets the Nashville apart from a standard TS-style drive.
Does the Tone City Nashville run on a battery?
Tone City specifies a DC 9V adapter as the power supply for the Nashville. The pedal draws only 5 mA, so it is easy on a pedalboard power supply, but the maker's page lists adapter power rather than battery operation.
Is the Tone City Nashville a Tube Screamer clone?
Tone City describes the Nashville as a TS-style overdrive built for modern players, so its circuit follows the Tube Screamer family. A reader commenting on gearnews.com asked whether it is instead a version of the Nobels ODR-1, so the exact lineage is debated. What is clear is that it tames the midrange slightly compared with classic TS-type circuits.
How much does the Tone City Nashville cost?
As of September 18, 2026, gearnews.com listed the Tone City Nashville Overdrive at $51.00 USD, which the same report also gave as £46.00 GBP and 54.00 euros. It was announced as one of three new Tone City mini pedals, each going for 54 euros at Thomann.
Sources (5)
- TONE CITY® Nashville Classic Overdrive Guitar Pedal-TONE CITY ▏Analog Pedals & Power supplies, Tone City, 2026
- Tone City Releases 7 Distortion Pedals: Meet the Loong Preamp, New Legend Series, and more!, gearnews.com, 2026-09-18
- The ALKENE Nashville Overdrive by Browne Amplification, Browne Amplification
- Browne Amplification ALKENE Nashville Overdrive, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2026-03-20
- Nashville Nood Tube Honker, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
